Conservator of wave energy



'Jan. 27, 1931.

J. C. AVAKIAN COfiSERVATOR OF WAVE ENERGY Filed June 25. 1928 S Sheefs-Sheet 1 J INVENTOR. JOHN C AVAK IAN A TTORNEY.

J. c. AVAKIAN CONSERVATOR OF WAVE ENERGY Jan. 27, 1931.

Filed June 25. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m n N M n. A n C N M M d y B 9 I v 6 .H

w m 4\ E L w Jan. '27, 1931. J c, AVAKIAN CONSERVATOR OF WAVE ENERGY Filed June 25, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. JOHN C. AVA/(IAN ATTORNEY.

Jim. 27, 1931. J. c. AVAKIAN CONSERVATOR OF WAVE ENERGY Filed June 25. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

} oHN ;c. AVAKIAN, or

Patented Ja, 27,1931

v j 1,790,21eg

' oonsnnvaron. or WAVE ENEnGY Application filed June 2 5,

This inventionrelates t'o'conservators of Wave energy and to power systems operated" thereby. i p v V The generalob ect of my invention s to provide an apparatus for utilizat onof the power in-theaction ofwavesfin any suitable body ofwater. v V i I A morespecific generalob ect of my nvention is to store the irregular energy of Wave actionin abody of water, in form;

"- to. be. available for uniform delivery, by

converting the kinetic energy in the Waves into potential energy, this to be accomplished by'raisingsome of its Water to a higher ele vation and storing itlina reservoir. or contalner at a fixed elevat1on,;the stored Water 'to-Ibe available for any desired purpose or- ,todischarge uniformly through turbine,

or turbines togenerate hydro-electric energy.

or to otherwise furnish power, the raising of. said water beingtaccomphshedby means of a rigidly and iinmovably fixed Water pump,

or a'multiplicity of them, whose piston is",

actnatedby means of a float so shapedand trussed-as to receive,tharmlessly to itselfand to other associated structures, a maximum.

of all the kinetic energy available in the wav said float being held Within aframe-1 work or structure so arranged as to receive and augment, not only the rise and fall'of the waves, but also their horizontal thrusts to directing them to efi'ect, a maximum of vertical rise and fall of the float, said'water from the pump or pumps being conveyed landward through pipes securely imbedded and capable of sustaining high'pressure.

The storing of'the irregular energy eX pended by-the various motions of the waves V The raising Qf the 'may be accomplished by converting the kinetic energy in the Wave motions into potential energ', by raising some of that body of Water to a higher elevation and storlng itin a reservoir or container at a fiXed'elevation, the water so stored to be available foreny desiredpurposeor to; discharge as desired through a turbine or turbinesito generate hydro-electric energy or to other wise furnish power. i

water m y .be done by 1928, Serial No. 2 238452 causing all the vvavemotionsas'far as ton raising, Water o the sire elev t on and location.

nosnnennnsi oAn-inonn'm, BESSIEHORTUN MORE, EXnonTnIx OF SAID JOHN'GQAVAKIAN DECEASED V a T g he ing ne g3i1 n; s at er d localities inthe Waves mayjbe' accomplished various locations inth vvavespumping Water, as hey may to, t e. same c n a n Another object of my invention is to proi e cembieet o m ans. devis app 1565 ins or sys em wh r by a zm hias pos i le .of

conveying Water to turbine'or turbines to generate"hydro-electric energy or to other wise furnish poivermvhereinjthe pressureis maintained by meanspofna multiplicity of Water pumps held, arranged and operated in a suitable manner. Y i j c A further object of the invention is to provide, in a'power' generating system, .oper: ated by actions of waves inanysuitable body of water, a suitable meanspsuch as a reservoir or ,arstandpipe, to provide a-l vorking head together \Vltll a conduit afiordingcom;

p ac Whenceitmay.be drawn igegular ya cl as desired. c p g I f i V 7 Another object of myinvention is to main- V taina uniform 'iprcssureiin a pipe orpipes munication between the standpipeg or Ere s1 ervoir and that body ofwater, and With means for generating electricity which is operated by fluid in the conduit. i Afurther obj ect of my invention is to .provide a .poWer generating scheme including va container for water, a source of communicae tionjbetvveen the container and a body of Water, -an ;lxvith a power generating device communicating with. said container and i which may be operated by water pumped from the body of Waterfor by Water from both the body of water and from th c .Cplb

, taiae simulta eqnslyu i g av m im m di p ement. of the pl I ..-.--"...6 by placing a multiplicity'of theildevlcesl 1n source of wa-teribelow' the device and which maybe operated by water passing trom the 1 source of supply to the container or by water passing from the-container to the source of Another object of the invention is to prov1de a power generatlng device connected to a water container above the device and to a source of waterbelow the device and which may be operated by Water passing from'the supply, or byv water from boththe container and the source of supply.

further object of the invention 1s to provlde. a novel conservator of" wave energy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel flow control means between the walls of the framework to'prevent the spent wavefrom, returning outward over the same channel to meet the next incoming wave and thus to prevent reduction of the force of that 1 next incoming'wave. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide means for limiting andcushio-ning the highest and lowest limit of thetravel of the float, in order that the travel of the float may be least dcstructible'to itself and to its associated structure.

Another object of my invention is to provide anovel mounting for a wave conservator vide an improved float having means thereon to-carry directly the forces from the impact of the wave to the points of contact of the float with; its associated structures, in order that the'float may be the least destructible by the pounding force of the waves.

Oth r objects of the invention will be ap-' parent from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:- j t Fig. "1 is a perspective viewofa generating plant embodying the features of my inventi0;I1."" g i Fig; Qfis a diagrammatic side elevation showingfanapplication of ny invention Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the detailsof my invention. v Big; l is a' top plan View showing one of the units of; my improved conservator of wave energy. Q Fig. 5 is a section through the unit shown in Fig. 4; and shows an end view of the floa with various portions broken away to more clearly illustrate the details. A

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one end of the float, and

Fig. 7

isv a vertical section taken through of the inventionisto tion. r I Referring to the drawings by reference one of the floats showing the walls in elevachar acters I have indicated'my wave con-' servators generally at A and one of them in detailin F gs. 4c, 5 andG. A single one of the waveconser'vators includes spaced vertical walls B, between which I mount a float 1.

The front ends of the walls B diverge outwardly and gently; for a considerable dis-' tance, as shown at C, to intercept a longer section of the oncoming wave and to cause it to converge as it travels landward, causing its crest to rise higher as it reaches under the float. On the other hand, upon closing of gates 50, hereinafter described, the receding water in front of the ates divergin out-- b o z:

wardly between the diverging walls C, tend. to suck the water (like the flaring'discharge of a turbine), thereby lowering the troughof the Waves under the float. 'Thus the diverging walls G tend to raise the crest of he waves and depress the trough thereof, thus increasing the amplitude of the vertical travel ofthe flo'at. I

. I may employ the conservators singly or in latera'llgroups and they may also be used in.

tandem (in groups of twoor three ormore) depending upon the'wave action and the topography in the vicinity of the installation.

The float 1 includes; a hollow watertight I chamber 2 formed by a topwall 3, a bottom 7 .wall 4, arear wall 5, afrontflwall 6 and'endwalls 7 builton a framework 7 a shownas arranged within the float. The front wall 6 1s inclined upwardly andthe forward portion 8 of the top wall3 is positioned at an angle to the rear portionthereof. The juncture of angular portion 3 of the top wall 3 and the frontwall '6 is above the main-portion of the top wall.

Theend' walls 7 as shown, continue down below the bottom wall 45 and form depending skirts at each end of the float as indicated at 8.

Theie skirts 8 are adapted to be reinforced by stiffening members which are preferably channel irons 9 as shown.

. On each side'of the float 1, I provide rollers 10 which are adapted to operate on vertical runways 11 which may be of chemically treated "wood arranged on the Walls B and C and bear the end thrust of the float. Other rollers 12 are provided on eachside of the float 1. There may operate on vertical wood-' en runways 13 on the walls C and B. These rollers are adapted to bear the forward and rearward thrust of the float 1. y

. The rollers 10 and-12 adjacent theffront of the float are shown asmeunted on frames D which include vertical members 14: secured to the end walls of the float and to the members 9 and braced by cross members 15 to form a truss-like structure. i i The rollers 10 and 12 adjacent the rear -of the float are shown as mounted on af-ram e E 59111161 the f'r'a'mesD and E are prfe-r'ahly'tied te'gethei" by time horizohtai membere18 3961161 inclined meihbifle 18 ('seeFig ffi); The uppe i' nls of theframes D mid exthe'bottohi The Walls B and C aie conn'eeted by a base 20 which hz is' a' hu iiTJQO ther'eOfi arfdeh which i s-momma which pemp cae'ing 21' "whieh extenctsthrough zt'n apiture '22 in the Heat 1 eta 1 reviee a p15 pe'sl s 29 which :areseenred to the float thereof.

by rigid siippo'rtS in the ffehietvofk wi -hm 1 Awe-fecal inlet 'pipeis preview eneside of the pump casing 21 and a vertieal iiitle't "pipe 34 is provided en the bppeeite ide f the pum The yeftica'l inlet pipe 33 is shown as =ezitending-th i'eugh the base 220mm c'o'n'ne'cting Witht hOr-i-zontzvl piqhe 35 which may extendfto a suitable intake leezitiom The Verticaloutlet pipe 34 ishowhasjx-i tending through the 'haSIeQO and cenneeting with another horizontal pipe; 36. ,The.-;pipes 35; and 36 preferably include cut-off-valves time water is; 'dfhwn ff'Om' pipe 33 stnd:-thfe" veitical outlet pipe e' i-vetor; r When 1t is necessary to make maij eftep'eirs en the fleet or pump elements the fle'at hiiist e idle. Tepreventtta'Vee etriking-theefieat- I fprevieef mnt a'hdrear gates 47. These" i The Wrath meet pi15e ati e Shawn- "as get; i heated to an outlet &1, opposite to theihflet 7 5 ie int i hspeet the. 7

make minor repairs 7 V dept-8e, when epen, t-e be pesi'tienett r the det'idet,

adaptedto" essunre' "ah gengulafr p'e' sitio n -=a's After: the gates -47,- are closed the water he "ii lin ot 1 be obst ucte a they: pi ssxthrmrgh v shown by-m h'fidk'eri lines in Fig; gs' thetathe pressure of the etter on the outfde Willi tend to fdi'e them intb tighter engagement. as

tween the getes'fmayh'e pumped out'and 5 ,thfe neXt we've to enter the deiii'cfwill raise i v the flQat ae'dthepostsj 29will'raisethe pump piston rod 'zihd pistdn jAsthepil'mppi's't'dn ie raised it forces thewatef in'fthecaisiilg above inlet pipe 3 3 T 7 weightiiitbithe trdt gh 6f the waveen'ei moves the pump .pistdnfd'v'vnts d'rd. V

e Ag the pump pi-560:1 s 'movd ddwnwerd it forees the Water in let-$11634, aiidat the sa e time draws tipn d teniis to hari'g the hofiz'enml; three of the into n up vvt rd tl i'rust theieby ca sing the eiti'cel he; inefettsed,

the WW under the-"idet-dna direct e met emm "fleet we un eti'hgthe pumpewsitg '21, the eve-1 all the .thrust of the water upward against the v i Suitable bracesarepreferably provide d ,as indicated atF- in Figi;4,in the interiorofthe float 1 which are adapted to directthe force exerted upon the front of the float by an incoming wave directlytoQthe framework supporting the thrust rollerslO and 12. For limiting andcushioning the upward movement of the float, I provide springv pressed bumpers 49 which are supported 'by' suitable .bra :keo .-il9, integral with the side V Undernormal-working conditions the float does not strike these variousbumpersi They are provide'd so that should therise and fall of the waves become excessive suchas in a heavy storm, the float willnotbebattered to pieces against the baseor injure cr be injuredby the superstructureon the side walls Band G.

To prevent actioniof backwash of the waves'on the float .1, I preferably provide a plurality of superimposed gates 50 which are horizontally pivoted at their tops to trans- L Y 59 between the header 58. and the standpipe I verse rods 51 supported by the side wallsB andG. 'The lowerends of each of the gates 5O ar'ecprevented fro nswinging from their plv; ota'l positions toward the float, by engagement with thenext lower gate butthey are free to swing'away from the float. 'These gates 50 are preferably located beyond "the Lends of. the

. As a .wave passes between the side walls B and C it; will swing the gates 50 away from the float andfpass, but the backwash will swingf'the gates towardthe floatand close them whereupon the backwash cannot enter between the walls B andC and meet the next oncoming wave with a contrary force and'reduce the effective force thereof; y As shown diagrammatically; in Fig. 3 my wave conservatorsA, when in,,use are pref erably arranged in batteries of'twof or three tor-more, and a plurality of these batteries are combined as desired. When the wave conservators A are arranged as shownlnFlgs. l, 2 and 3, the horizontal inlet pipes .35, of each device A are; connected to a commoninlet header 55 which is provided with aninlet 56 communicating with aninlet .box 57. The

, inlet box 57 may be builtin any desired manner and preferablyincludes a plurality. of screens through which the water must, pass beforeentering the pipe 56 so that no sand willenter the-pumps. I: l

T e h r n ut P pe 6 f sas Ie If'th'e turbines require operate them than is being pumped by the.

the devices A are connected to a common header'58 which communicates with a convided interposed in the conduit 59. I

v The-reservoir 60 is provided with aiiood spillway' 63 which is preferably large enough not only to takecare of the superfluouswater pumped into the reservoir by the devices A but also takecare ofiany excessive' a1nount of water draining intothereservoir on account of, heavy rainfalls in the back country. A power house indicated generally at 64 is provided as near the devices A as practical and includes a plurality of hydraulic tur bines of any desired type, as indicated gen- I erally at 65 inFigB. I -1 Each of the turbines 65 are connected'to a common header 66 by pipes 67 each of which include a shut-off valve 68 for controlling the fiow'of water to each turbine. The header 66 is connected by a conduit 69 .to the conduit 59. The top of a standpipe 70 is preferably ofthe same height as the top of the dam 61 and an overflow pipe 71 isprovidedonthe standpipe 70 preferably at the same height as the top ofthe spillway' 63 (see Figs. 1 and 2). For controlling the flow of water intotheistandpipe 7 0 Iprovide a gate valve 72 and interposed in the conduit provide another gate. valve 73. I The discharge from eachof the turbines 65'1nay be through an outlet pipe 7 6. I

Whenthe gate valves62 'and 73 are open through the conduit'59 into the reservoir 60 and if the gatevalve72 is open the water will the devices Aarein-op'er'ziiiion to pump water into the header 58 the water is forced enter the standpipe 70. From the standpipe 70 the water-passes through the conduit 69 into the header 66 and thence through. the

pipes 67 into the turbines 65. The discharge.

from the turbines pass through the pipes 74 and the water from. the header 58 conveyed through the conduit 59 into, the standpipe 70 to operate the turbines 65 by the head in the standpipe 70. I

more water to devices'A theextra water required will be automatically drawn from the reservoir 60.-

When the devices A pump more water than required to operate the turbines 65 the superfluous water will be conveyed to the reservoir 60.

closed and the water in the reservoirused to operate the turbines.

Having thus; described my invention, I claim:

1. In a wave motor, a pair ofspaced walls, 1 a float positioned between sald walls, an aperture 1n said float, a pump casing posltioned in said float aperture, said pump includlng an operatmg member, means on said float adaptedto actuate said member, an inlet to said pump caslng andan Outlet from sald pump casing, a housing surrounding said pump, said inlet and said outlet, said housing belng ture. r

2. In a wavepowerdevice, a pair of spaced 1 walls, a base connecting said walls, a framework extending from one of said walls to the 1 other adjacent the top thereof, a vertically.

movable float positioned between said walls,

a bracket on each of said walls adjacent the 7 front and rear of said float,-a spring pressed a I plunger supported by each of said brackets signature.

and another v spring pressed plunger supported by said framework'adjacenteach side of said float, all of said spring-pressed plungers being adapted to restrict the upward movement of said float, pads on the top J of'said float with which said plungers are adapted to engage, other spring pressed plungers supported by saidbase adj acentflthe front and rear of each side of said float, said last mentioned iplungers' being adapted to i limit the downward movement of saidfloat and pads on the bottornof saidlfloat with which said last mentioned 'plungers are adapted to engage. I In testimony whereoffl positioned in said float aperhereunto aflix' Y JOHN G. AVAKIAN. 

